The assassination of Empress Olivia and Princess Flora was a scandal that rocked the empire, known to all.
The Empress died by poisoning, and the Princess was brutally stabbed by an assailant.
That both tragedies occurred within just two months must have driven Prince Claude to the edge of madness.
What’s more, Claude’s faction pointed to Archduke Spiegel as the culprit, but the Emperor dismissed it as baseless rumor.
Everyone questioned the Emperor’s refusal to pursue justice for his murdered wife and daughter, yet no one dared challenge his tyranny.
Ultimately, the case was buried without identifying the perpetrators.
Soon after, rumors spread that Claude had been expelled from the palace and relocated.
To Erhardt, the marquisate inherited from Empress Olivia upon her death.
Coincidence?
In my past life, the Second Prince was always at the center of plots targeting Claude.
It’s highly likely he planted the physician as a spy.
Claude’s poisoning and death are two years away, but the groundwork for that plot may have already begun.
If this continues, my groom-to-be might die before our contract marriage.
I need to act before the Second Prince strikes again.
Pushing aside my thoughts, I lifted my eyelids sharply.
Tap, tap, tap.
Early morning, a sound tapped at my window.
Bolting up, I pulled back the curtain to see a white messenger bird pecking at the glass.
[I’ll send updates on His Highness via messenger birds. It’s the fastest, most accurate way to reach your chambers, my lady.]
Recalling Alvin’s words, I opened the window, and the bird perched gently on my hand.
Stroking its small head, I untied the note from its leg.
As expected, it was from Alvin, reporting that Claude regained consciousness last night and was recovering with seizure suppressants and Lazeraan.
Relieved the medicine was working, I headed to the study early, still groggy.
Soft morning light filtered through the white curtains.
I placed a kettle on the stove and gazed at the vibrant summer scene.
Bright sunlight poured through the clear sky, piercing lush green trees, their leaves glowing transparently.
It was the same view I’d seen countless times in my past life.
Why hadn’t I appreciated its beauty then?
I took for granted things that weren’t.
Death taught me that lesson bone-deep.
Watching clouds drift lazily in the blue sky, my parched emotions stirred.
Life is fleeting. This time, I’ll live like those clouds, following my whims.
No one’s orders, no obligations—just doing what I want, even if it means painting the walls with nonsense!
…Was I getting too carried away? My eyes felt damp.
Wiping a tiny tear with my sleeve, I noticed steam rising from the kettle.
Pouring it into a cup with peppermint, a refreshing aroma filled the air.
Feeling invigorated, I leaned against the window, sipping tea.
The warmth soothed my throat, but yesterday’s scene of Claude’s seizure flashed in my mind.
Bloodstained carpets, scattered books and vials, and Claude writhing in agony on the bed.
His condition seemed far worse than I’d thought.
No mana poisoning patient in my past life had seizures like that.
His symptoms were unique, so I’d need to adjust the medicine.
Increase Lazeraan’s dosage and add a seizure suppressant.
Setting down the empty cup, I picked up the documents Alvin had sent.
They listed all the medicines the physician had prescribed.
Frowning, I noticed one entry: Entril herb, prescribed daily for three years.
[Toxic? Impossible. All medicines were tested for safety before being given to His Highness. Even slaves taking them showed no issues.]
As Alvin said, Entril is odorless, tasteless, and harmless, even in large doses.
But for mana poisoning patients, it’s different.
When Entril interacts with accumulated mana, it forms a rare toxin, imperceptible at first.
Over time, the toxin builds, leading to death.
The timeline varies by mana levels and constitution.
For Claude, I suspected it wouldn’t take long.
Telling Alvin now would shock him.
Mana poisoning is barely known in this era, and he trusted the physician implicitly.
Only someone with advanced knowledge and a desire to kill Claude would use Entril.
The Second Prince’s cunning was infamous in my past life.
I need to find leverage to pressure him before he strikes again.
It would be my weapon and shield for both Claude and me.
Lost in thought, I glanced out the window.
The lawn looked patchy, as if grass had been plucked.
What’s this déjà vu?
Narrowing my eyes, I stared at the sparse patches.
Suddenly, the Second Prince’s face from my past life overlapped with the lawn.
A famous anecdote hit me like lightning.
Snapping my fingers, I smirked.
His greatest insecurity, the thing he desperately craved!
This was the perfect chance to use my expertise.
A week later, it was time to visit Claude.
After tireless research, I found the right dosage and developed a new treatment.
I wrapped each week’s worth of vials in cloth and packed them.
I also prepared a “surprise gift” for the Second Prince in a pretty bottle.
With the Founding Ball approaching, it’d be the perfect moment to present it.
Seeing my medicines lined up like cherished children filled me with pride.
Grinning, I closed the cupboard and hefted my heavy bag, leaving the manor.
I hoped the new treatment would suit Claude.
Before I knew it, I reached the castle.
The heavy gates opened, and the butler greeted me politely.
“Welcome, my lady. His Highness is out and may not return for half a day. Please come in for tea while you wait.”
“No, I’ll just leave the medicine and go. I heard he’s recovering, so no need for an examination. Does he often go out?”
“Yes, he patrols Chaos Forest regularly. Usually at night, but lately during the day too.”
“Oh, I didn’t know he patrolled himself. I saw him in the forest once and was curious.”
“Yes, he says the forest air helps his breathing and sleep. He goes weekly for patrols or walks—perhaps you saw him then.”
I nodded slowly at the old butler’s words.
Chaos Forest, the only place in the empire where Lazeraan mana herbs grow, might indeed aid his condition.
Setting down my bag, I pulled out a large pouch.
“This is a new treatment to calm seizures and expel mana. The dosage is increased—two vials daily, morning and evening. Send a messenger bird if anything happens.”
“I will. It’s almost luncheon; would you like to dine before leaving?”
The butler took the pouch, but I shook my head.
I had to sell medicines at the general store and catch up on medical texts—too much to do.
“I’ll head out then.”
“Safe travels, my lady.”
Receiving the butler’s deep bow, I shouldered my bag and moved to my next task.
After delivering medicines to the store and buying medical texts, dusk had fallen.
Exhausted, I opened the manor’s iron gate and spotted Alex in the garden.
Seeing me, he waved with a bright smile.
